Interview with Carmen Corvino by D.M. Norrod.

Dino,
I have talked and met your father Joe Jr. in Wis.
I have letters and talk to your uncle Jackie many, many times.

Carmine was Tony's son so he would be your cousin not your uncle.
I have met many of your cousins. I will post a picture with Donny, his sister Francine and Carmine, with my self, my brother Dan and Dick Strattton.

The dog that was stolen from your father when he was very young was Corvino's Black(the dog in the picture Joe Sr.) that Howard Heinzl took when he left Chicago when he was moving to AZ. He stopped and gave the dog to Earl Tudor.


The dog was heavy Red Devil/Corvino bitch of ours named Bumble Bea.

 

Mike,

Thank you. The Carmine you know is a full 2 generation lower than my fathers Uncle Carmine. Who you do not know. I might not have been clear, my fathers Uncle Carmine brought Dad and Uncle Jack to Wisconsin.

The Carmine you are talking about is my fathers nephew, and my cousin.

I can verify that a lot of the stuff in the shop, and the yard went to friends like Mike when my grandfather passed. My grandma had a lot of kids, and one sick adult child to care for. So, while dogs are an important part, like any family the passing of one adult leads to changes.

Mike, if you want, you can send me a traditional email any time you like. That is am amazing photo, it is great to see Francine.

 

You referring to Joe's brother? I was told Joe came to this country by himself or are you referring to your grand mother's brother?
Jackie and Joe Jr. never said to me when they were kids they were taken to WI.
I was told by them they moved there after they were grown.

The Carmen I'm referring to is in middle to late 60's.
Dan & I, when were young did meet your grandfather with my father and uncle and stopped by the blacksmith shop.

The child you are referring to was a twin and her sister died when she was in her teens.
One of them had cerebral palsy. Birth defect, at the time of birth. Which they found out now is the doctor's fault.

Yes, I met her too. In Stratton's Book of the American Pit Bull Terrier on page 101 is a picture taken at your grand mother's house with Tony holding his grand daughter (Carmen's daughter) with me standing next to him. Dan & Carmen is looking at Carmen's dog Bugsy who was heavy Corvino Bloodline.
As you know your grand mother and Carmen bred dogs up until 1975.
Here is a picture of my brother Dan and Carmen.
http://www.ironlinekennels.com/Page_19x.html


I have many pictures of Carmen when he judged our fun classes.

 

BTW did you or have you ever met Your cousin Donny's wife Josephine?
At the Chicago shows years ago she sold the T shirts with the "USA #1 APBT"

 

The Carmie I am talking about has been dead for 60 years or more. I am 42.

If you grew up in Chicago you know there is a direct connection for Italians of a certain generation and Northern Wisconsin. My fathers Uncle was probably first to come from our family.

He reached out to my grandfather, who sent my father and my Uncle, to help.

I am referring to my Grandfathers brother.

It took a minute for me to remember Josephine, but yes, I know her and Donnie.

 

In the interview I want it about Joe Sr. and not people he was associated with.
Thou I would like to address some of things what was discuss at Mrs. Corvino home.
Since Tony was the oldest, he knew the most.
Carmen and our grandmother was there too.

There is a lot of misinformation around these dogs.
Besides your grandmother and Tony, many, many times I talked to Jackie.
I never knew when he was going to up and just call me.
He confirmed many things that his mother and brother had said.
And a few things even Carmen won't talk about. :lol:
Jackie was full of life.

Since your grandmother and most all the sons are gone and the only ones left are daughters if any, I was going to have Donny stop by and if you like to as well when we do all the information.
I have many pictures and lot of them are of your grandfather.
I have some that Tony never saw.

In the interview I want to add those pictures.
I promise Carmen I would get him copies of all the pictures.
In the interview in Carmen's own words I will him tell about the pictures he had.
He still has a few, he fax me some before.

When you think about it, where do you start an interview about a man with such a vast amount?
Inside and out about dogs and his life in general.
What are the important questions you ask so he is really known by everyone?
Sooner the better to clear the air about some one who has been gone for 50 years.

 

I.M., do you hope to do the interview this spring or summer?

 

I don't know, when I go to Chicago I like to have a grand time and visit as many friends as I can. I often go the Chicago show because many will stop out and just talk dogs.
The biggest problem with this project is putting the format of questions to obtain the full spectrum of a person.
Now I'm thinking it might not be able to done with only one visit.

If you don't have the right questions and don't ask enough, it come off half ass.
That's not my in tent but I don't it appear as Don Mayfield would and just ramble on & on.
Repeating the same things over and over.

Also I don't want to do for the point of discrediting some one else.
Look how this tread got off topic.
Talking about Dibo and Billy.
I still wondering how this behind the back shit came about of where someone claims Bambi was bred without permission.
Or kennel accident breeding.
How did Bambi get from Ed's yard clear over to Wiz's yard.
BTW in the UKC stud files the owner of Dibo's sire was Hubbard.
Most of all if she got lose how does anyone know only 1 dog bred her?

I want the book to be factual and lot more drama free.

 

Mike,

I think if you want to write about the dogs, then that is fine. There is an audience for that. But, I am a writer for a living now, and honestly that is not where to start in my opinion.

My grandfather was a father, a blacksmith, then a dog man. You have a few of his children still alive, and there are enough of my generation (grand children) alive who know the history accurately you could count on.

I think if you look at the blacksmith shop, you can see the normal path. My Uncle Tony was the son for a long time, but soon he grew and married, and was on his own. My father was a blacksmith, and dogman starting very young. It was only after my grandfather stopped that my father moved on.

My Uncle Jack was a am and professional boxer, and spent a good portion of his life in the gym.

There are things that we will not talk about, but all families are like that.

If you want to focus on the dogs, start with what you can verify. The City of Chicago has a historical museum, and the blacksmith shop is a part of it, since it was the last blacksmith shop in the city, it did the police horses.

As a story teller, find something you KNOW. A true thing, and build out from there, and other true things will lay in line, and you will find your story.

If you want to email me, my last name and first initial at gmail dot com.

 

As a writer if you reread what I wrote you read this is what I wrote ^^

"The biggest problem with this project is putting the format of questions to obtain the full spectrum of a person."

"When you think about it, where do you start an interview about a man with such a vast amount?
Inside and out about dogs and his life in general."

When I first came to your grandmother's house you weren't even 12 years old.
Your aunt was in a wheelchair and Tony was around helping out.

It was the late 70's, early 80's.
The picture I posted was at the OH. dog show in 1980 or 81.

I want to show of Joe, the family man side. And then into the dogman side.
When we went to Chicago in the very early 60's it was also about horses, fairer work.
I have been to Chicago many times and talked to a lot of people.
As you know Carmen was alive when your grandfather was alive. Also I'm sure you know Carmen was breeding dogs with your grandmother until 1975 and Joe Sr. gave Carmen dogs i.e. Beauty.
I have a picture of Joe in 1930's working at the Blacksmith shop forging iron.

This is about respect not one of bullshit, so be assured before anything is printed, there will be family approval or it won't be printed!!

BTW is your Aunt (Aldair? ms?) still alive who owned Timmie, well both Timmies she owned, there was 2 of them.

 

That is my Aunt Mary. She lives in Florida. Altiere.

 

Hey IM, has this project gone into print yet or has it been put on the back burner?

 

Good read..... Can't wait to read the finished product.

 

no doubt. wish dino would posts some stories on wisconsin. always heard the crazy stuff about hurley and the montreal river growing up.

 

Bump..cheers

 

Great discussion. A book sounds like a must have!

 

I read that story about that match, yrs ago... when I first got into game bread dogs...I don't remember who won, or lost, but I know that the man in question, either lost and was trying to buy the dog, that won from the owner, or the other way around... just a picture, and a story to go with.... but from names, involved, and the tale of events, that were scribed, one would assume that any dog lover, and lover of the game, would most definitely be hands on, as much as possible ...I can accept a family members truth, of course I just read the same old article from a very long time ago in a book and formed my opinion... not trying to pick a fight... Just memories of reading that story about 30 plus yrs ago... thanks